DUSHANBE, July 11, 2014, Asia-Plus – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan yesterday released a statement regarding the latest shooting along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.

The statement, in particular notes that Tajik nationals were laying a water pipeline in the territory of the cooperative farm “Vorukh” in the Isfara district on July 10 at around 11:30 am when Kyrgyz border guards serving at the check post Tamdyk, which is located on the uncoordinated stretch of border, came to Tajik nationals and demanded in a flippant tone that they stop work and leave the area.

“Tajik border guards who were not far from that area came to find out the circumstances and tried to put an end to actions of their Kyrgyz colleagues.   In response to this Kyrgyz border guards suddenly opened aimed fire from assault rifles.  As a result of the shooting, seven Tajik civilians and one Tajik border guard were wounded.  One of the civilians died on the spot from sustained wounds,” the statement says.

Tajik MFA notes that Tajik border guards fired no shot.  In connection with this incident that occurred despite multiple agreements on uncoordinated areas, the Tajik side expresses regret about violation of those agreements by separate agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Tajik side has reportedly sent an official note to the Kyrgyz side for finding out the circumstances of the incident.

Currently, the government delegations of both countries led by Tajik Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon and Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Abdyrakhman Mamataliyev are working at the incident site.

We will recall that one Tajik national was killed and at least seven were injured on July 10 as Kyrgyz border guards opened fire on local citizens in Tajikistan’s Vorukh exclave inside Kyrgyzstan.